Friends gather to remember Lynn Marshall

Lynn Marshall, 64, has left the stage but not the hearts of his family and friends in the Wichita Falls theater, television and radio communities.

The native Wichitan died unexpectedly Tuesday at his home where family members discovered him.

Marshall was a beloved fixture in the city’s theater scene, and North Texans are reeling from the loss of a father figure, mentor and good friend. They miss his booming voice, sense of humor and caring ways. He always spent his time either with family or the theater community.

“It’s just hard to imagine he’s gone,” nephew Chase May said. “When I think of any memory of him I have, it’s never bad. It’s always been awesome and uplifting.”

With tears in his voice, May said he hopes to be half the person his uncle was.

Thursday evening, the Wichita Theatre is hosting a visitation for Marshall’s friends with his family members from 7:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., Dwayne Jackson, president of Wichita Theatre, said on Facebook.

“They truly are now realizing the impact he had and want to say a personal thanks to as many as possible for their friendship through the years,” Dwayne said.

In addition, a Celebration of Life for Marshall will be 1:30 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Don Pellikan officiating.

Over the years, Marshall developed friendships across the spectrum of media.

“Wichita Falls is a bit of a sadder place now that he’s gone,” Skip McBride, retired KFDX meteorologist, said. “I’m sure that wherever he is, and we know where he is, he’s making people smile.”

Lynn Marshall, center, poses for a photo.(Photo: Contributed)

Marshall was known for a playful sense of humor.

“Lynn was the first person to ever introduce me in front of a crowd as the guy with the perfect face for radio,” Big Jim Russell, local radio personality, said.

Sometimes Marshall got as good as he gave.

Nick Long, center, and his wife Carissa, were longtime friends of the late Lynn Marshall, who officiated at their wedding. Long posted on Facebook after learning of Marshall's passing Tuesday that not only were they theater friends but, after his family, Lynn was the first person he told of the birth of his children.(Photo: Contributed photo)

An early adopter of the Apple Watch, he was pranked during a rehearsal for “Tale of Two Cities” in spring 2015. Theater mom to daughter Emma Watson, Deanna Watson was sitting on the back row, busy clicking “like” on his Facebook posts during a scene change.

She watched Marshall’s wrist snap up over and over with each notification from Facebook, said Watson, cast member of two Marshall shows and Times Record News editor.

Marshall just laughed in reaction.

“He was such a kind soul. I keep imagining him upset that this has made us so sad,” Watson said. “Our friendship started before our paths crossed at the theater, but grew exponentially after that. He made everyone feel uniquely tied to him.”

When news of his sudden death hit Tuesday afternoon, the theater community launched into action to arrange a gathering that evening at Wichita Theatre.

“Lynn was a dear, dear friend, and I think every one of us that knew him have that memory,” Dwayne said Tuesday night. “He was always there if you had a problem, had a question or just wanted to hang out.”

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Dwayne Jackson talks to those who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre. (Photo: Lauren Roberts/Times Record News)

Marshall was officially marketing director for Wichita Theatre, but he directed, acted, narrated, produced, helped build sets and did countless other tasks it takes to produce shows. He was involved in productions at both Wichita Theatre and Backdoor Theatre.

His full name is Marshall Lynn Bellows as listed in his obituary. He adopted the alias Lynn Marshall for radio, and it stuck.

He began working in radio at 16 while still at Old High. At KNIN, he did everything from sweep the floors to take to the airways for interview shows and talk shows.

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Friends who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre. (Photo: Lauren Roberts/Times Record News)

In a 2009 TRN profile, Marshall said girls liked disc jockeys.

“Broadcasting was also a great way to get dates in high school,” he said then, laughing.

He worked at KFDX off and on in the mid-1980s to 1990s. Again, he did just about everything from anchoring to reporting to heading promotions. He left to focus on theater.

Ann Arnold-Ogden shared a favorite photo of the late Lynn Marshall, who would not only appear with her during KFDX segments to promote theater shows, but would also encourage her to audition. He made sure to see her perform in each show.(Photo: Contributed photo)

He met Marshall in 2006 at a Pioneer restaurant to discuss Marshall directing “Beauty and the Beast.” He turned Dwayne down because daughter Allison Bellows Terrill of Denton had health problems and needed him. But Marshall promised to help out.

“He was going to be a one-shot wonder, but he stayed around for 12 years, and he adopted the family lifestyle that we presented here at the theater,” Dwayne said.

Ann Arnold-Ogden and Mike Sherry, Backdoor Theatre friends with the late Lynn Marshall, shared this flashback photo from the 1980s.(Photo: Contributed photo)

Watson said Marshall’s standards were high, but his praise was generous.

“He beamed with pride, over the youngest, oldest, seasoned and novice actor,” she said.

Many children and teens knew him as a second father, meeting him through theater.

Kim Gordon of Wichita Falls first came across him when she was 6 years old.

“I grew up with him as a father figure. As I got older, we got closer,” she said. “He was an incredible friend.”

Marshall officiated at one of her weddings, and when that marriage went south, he was a shoulder to cry on, Gordon said.

She was tearful in the lobby Tuesday night at Wichita Theatre.

“I can’t even wrap my head around it,” she said.

Marshall was also a mentor always willing to sit down and talk.

Melissa Williams, in a 2014 photo with the late Lynn Marshall, appeared in at least two of her friend's directorial productions, "A Christmas Story" and "Into the Woods" at The Wichita Theatre.(Photo: Contributed)

McBride first met him working at KFDX from 1983 to 1984. Marshall was “the voice” of the station among other roles.

“He did a little bit of everything, and when I came in, I knew nothing,” McBride said. “He offered a lot of advice to me that I probably would not have gotten if he hadn’t.”

They were good friends from then on.

“He was always happy and smiling, even as a news director, and that can be extremely difficult to do,” McBride said.

Larry Statser, KFDX assignments manager, got to know Marshall in the 1990s at the station and was still in shock Wednesday.

Every time we ran into each other, we kind of ribbed each other. It was all in good fun.”

Tuesday afternoon, Chase and his mother, Denise Bellow May of Wichita Falls, discovered Marshall had passed away in his home apparently of a heart attack.

Chase called Dwayne to say, “My uncle is gone.”

Marshall was loved by so many people, Chase said.

Ann Arnold-Ogden and Mike Sherry, Backdoor Theatre friends with the late Lynn Marshall, shared this flashback photo from the 1980s, captured on Kodak film.(Photo: Contributed photo)

“The support of the community is amazing, and that’s what I told my mom, ‘You’re not alone. You’ve got everybody in this town to support you,’ ” Chase said.

Marshall was devoted to his family.

“He set the foundation for all of our lives to be better people,” Chase said. “He’s been like the support of everybody. He was always there to give you advice, almost like a conscience, a voice of reason.”

Marshall spent countless hours with his nephews and grandchildren.

It was “Pokemon Go, video games all night and 20 Dr. Peppers. You know the drill. It was all about fun with him,” Chase said. “Anything you wanted to do, he’d put 180 percent into that.”

Johnny Bond, minister of Bastrop Church of Christ, shared a photo of when he and the late Lynn Marshall met for coffee and conversation.(Photo: Contributed)

Among those Marshall is survived by are his daughter Allison; sister Denise; grandchildren Baylee Meacham, Jack-Henry Terrill, and Harper Shobert of Denton; nephews, Chase and Peyton May; and numerous cousins, family and friends, according to his obituary.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.owensandbrumley.com.

Marshall was born Nov. 18, 1953, to the late Cromer Allen and Verma Jean (Rhudy) Bellows. His dad was a jet propulsion worker at Sheppard Air Force Base, and his mother was a housewife.

He graduated from Wichita Falls High School in 1972. He was an Eagle Scout, earning the honor at 16 with Troop 6.

In high school, he dove into debate, speech, duet acting and radio, according to TRN archives. Soon, he was cast in his first play, “Cinderella,” playing the prince’s wingman.

Later, he was thrilled to direct his high school drama teacher, Patrick Jackson, in “On Golden Pond” at Backdoor Theatre.

He loved to sing and “could play any instrument that had strings on it,” according to his obituary.

During his time in television, Marshall, famously afraid of heights, took his first airplane ride with the US Air Force Thunderbirds during an aerial demonstration over Sheppard, according to TRN archives.

He also dined with Bob Hope in his home, hung out with Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion and talked to Big Bird of “Sesame Street” in the only interview that he said impressed his daughter.

In what turned out to be his final show, Marshall directed “A Christmas Story.” It was the last production of 2017 for the Wichita Theatre.

“I am happy that my last night with him, our cast party, was fun and full of emotion,” Watson, “A Christmas Story” cast member, said in a Facebook post. “I actually told him what he meant to me. Thank God.”

Abigail Stilwell, 13, was taking voice lessons in the theater Tuesday afternoon when she learned of the bad news. She played an elf in “A Christmas Story.”

“He was one of my favorite directors I’ve ever worked with,” Stilwell said.

With the almost dismantled set of “A Christmas Story” as a backdrop, the local theater community gathered in the audience section Tuesday evening to pay tribute to him.

“Our most gracious heavenly father, we come to you tonight heartbroken,” Dwayne said in a prayer to open the gathering.

Marshall’s passing “is going to leave a great hole in many of our hearts,” Dwayne said.

Tears and laughter punctuated stories about Marshall.

There was the time the narrator for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was having a tough time getting the colors of the coat right in her dialogue. Marshall promised to sit in the front row and prompt her during a rehearsal. When he did, he purposefully mouthed the wrong colors.

Michael Sherry, artistic director at Backdoor Theatre, said Marshall loved the production “Little Shop of Horrors,” and hoped the first words from his grandson’s mouth were, "Feed me, Grandpa. Feed me.”

Anyone who interrupted Marshall would soon be interrupted themselves when he said, “I’m talking!” over them.

Everyone, absolutely everyone, knew he was an Eagle Scout.

The mood turned serious when an unnamed man choked back tears to sum up Marshall’s impact.

“I know that I learned a great deal from him as a theater person but more importantly as a human being,” the man said.

About 70 friends shared stories into Tuesday night about Marshall. They won’t soon forget him. It’s a house rule.

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Dwayne Jackson talks to those who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre.
Lauren Roberts/Times Record News

Friends who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre.
Lauren Roberts/Times Record News

Dwayne Jackson talks to those who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre.
Lauren Roberts/Times Record News

Dwayne Jackson talks to those who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre.
Lauren Roberts/Times Record News

Friends who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre.
Lauren Roberts/Times Record News

Friends who worked with Lynn Marshall at the Wichita Theatre and at the Backdoor theater gather, hug and mourn his passing Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at the Wichita Theatre.
Lauren Roberts/Times Record News

Melissa Williams, in a 2014 photo with the late Lynn Marshall, appeared in at least two of her friend's directorial productions, "A Christmas Story" and "Into the Woods" at The Wichita Theatre.
Contributed

Ann Arnold-Ogden shared a favorite photo of the late Lynn Marshall, who would not only appear with her during KFDX segments to promote theater shows, but would also encourage her to audition. He made sure to see her perform in each show.
Contributed photo

Nick Long, center, and his wife Carissa, were longtime friends of the late Lynn Marshall, who officiated at their wedding. Long posted on Facebook after learning of Marshall's passing Tuesday that not only were they theater friends but, after his family, Lynn was the first person he told of the birth of his children.
Contributed photo